Filling My Life with Beauty

I have said many times that beauty is a central theme of my life.  It is one way I connect to the character of God, who is all beauty.  I consider it one of my missions in life to be on the search for the lovely and beautiful.

There is so much that is ugly in this sin-tainted and fallen world we inhabit, that looking for the beautiful is what keeps me dwelling in gratitude when I want to complain, or hopeful when I feel dismal or despairing at the groanings of creation all around me (Romans 8).

One of my dearest friends gave me this beautiful carnation bouquet and it filled my table with beauty for a good few weeks!!  I am so grateful when friends bless me with tokens of beauty.

The bleeding hearts in my garden have provided something extra special to me right now.

And my peony garden....oh, how very much I anticipate this season every year.  I planted this as my little tribute to Tasha Tudor.  Because I loved how she embodied that love for beauty in the things of home, of children, her garden, her animals, and her lovely watercolor art/illustrations that express it all!  When I read in my book that she has a peony garden and I saw its breathtaking full heads of color, well, I just needed one of those.  It is my delight to soak it in while I sit on my front porch glider.  (Can you tell I am just a little partial to pink?  My Country Girl keeps reminding me I need to plant some other colors too :))

Sorry, but no, this one is not my garden.  We visited the tulip fields not too far from home on a gorgeous day (along with the rest of the state, it seemed).  Made me remember Holland at tulip time many years ago.

This post seems to be taking on a floral theme.  It is spring after all, and one can't resist such color.  Flowers are full of beauty to me.

A Mother's Day bouquet from my daughters (made from our garden)

My family did the most amazing job of filling my heart with beauty on Mother's Day.  They just made extra efforts to bless me, and I so appreciated it.  My girls set a beautiful table with china dishes, flowers, cards and gifts.  My husband made me a yummy mocha and gave me a very special gift.  My son blessed me with chocolate that he took great pride in securing secretly at the store when I wasn't looking (with the help of his sisters).  My little girls made me earrings.  My big girls made a delicious breakfast (and tea time at dinner).  And handmade cards are simply the best!  One from each!  How blessed I am to receive such beauty from the Lord in the gift of my family.

The search for beauty is a well-rewarded one!